TEESSIDE tradesmen have volunteered to help a mercy mission fix up a building for desperate teenage orphans in Belarus.

The mission will be led by aid workers Ted Strike, Dave Bagley and Richard Maygor, who for years have been helping impoverished families living in the aftermath of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

During their last visit in May, Ted, of Ingleby Barwick and Dave and Richard of Saltburn, met Christian charity With Love For Kids, who help older children leaving orphanages.

“Teenage orphans often end up being housed in crack dens or drug dealing homes when they get out of the orphanage,” said Ted.

With hundreds going on to commit suicide there is a desperate need to find them safe accommodation, he said.

When the charity showed them a three-storey house it had been given in the Belarus capital Minsk, the aid workers jumped at the chance to help.

“The house is capable of homing 30 teenagers and staff,” Ted explained. “However, it was not designed for that purpose and needs extensive alterations to make it suitable.”

Seven local volunteers, including two joiners, an electrician and a plumber, will join the trip in March, paying their own fare and giving their time free of charge. The extensive work requires around £22,000 of materials alone, without labour costs.

Around £500 from the £750 raised in a Boxing Day dip at Marske by Ted and two friends will go towards the costs and help buy tools.

“We hope to raise further funds via donations to take with us to buy other things such as showers, etc,” he said.

“This is quite an exciting project, and will be even more rewarding actually seeing a building being converted.”

Hopefully another working party will be arranged later in the year, he added.

Meanwhile three tonnes of aid collected last year by the Teesside aid workers for Chernobyl Children’s Relief has arrived in Belarus. This includes blankets, bedding, curtain material, clothes, shoes, toys and computers for needy Belarusian families.